Christian Lang, the former president and chief operating officer of Reynen Court, unveiled his latest venture, Lega Inc, on Wednesday. The company aims to assist law firms in securely exploring generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, as the utilization of AI becomes increasingly prevalent among lawyers and firms.
Lang stated that Lega Inc was created to enable law firms to easily develop AI tools with a “governance layer” that enforces security and compliance policies while monitoring their usage. He expressed concerns about the lack of visibility within large law firms, where hundreds of lawyers may be utilizing AI applications like ChatGPT without proper oversight. Lega Inc seeks to establish a secure space for experimentation and innovation in the legal industry.
Lega’s software platform provides law firms with a user-friendly interface, allowing them to connect with consumer-facing AI models from renowned companies such as OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic. By simply clicking a few buttons, firms can create chatbots, summarization tools, translation tools, and more.
Notably, several prominent law firms have already embarked on public experiments with generative AI technologies. For instance, Allen & Overy has partnered with Harvey, a legal AI startup that recently secured $21 million in a fundraising round and is also collaborating with PricewaterhouseCoopers. Firms like DLA Piper and Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe are also utilizing CoCounsel, an AI legal assistant product developed by legal research company Casetext. Some firms, including Holland & Knight, have even taken on the challenge of building their own AI tools.
However, the increasing adoption of AI technology in the legal sector has raised concerns regarding the protection of confidential client data, the potential for legal errors, and the adherence to ethical guidelines for lawyers. These concerns were further highlighted by a recent incident involving a New York lawyer facing possible sanctions due to a brief he drafted with the assistance of ChatGPT, which was riddled with errors.
Having previously practiced law at the prominent New York firm Davis, Polk & Wardwell, Lang departed from Reynen Court in January. The company, known as a legal tech “app store” and backed by several major law firms, faced economic challenges last year, resulting in employee layoffs and cost-cutting measures.
Lang revealed his plans to launch a fundraising campaign for Lega Inc within the next few weeks, then expanding the company’s workforce. Womble Bond Dickinson, a sizable firm with approximately 1,000 lawyers, has already embraced the Lega platform. However, Lang declined to disclose additional customers at this time.
Christian Lang’s Lega Inc aims to address the pressing need for safe and secure exploration of generative AI technology in law firms. Lega Inc strives to empower law firms to leverage AI tools effectively while ensuring compliance, protecting client data, and upholding professional ethics by providing a user-friendly platform and implementing governance measures. As more law firms embrace AI, ventures like Lega Inc are crucial in shaping the future of the legal industry and its innovative capabilities.